"Wuthering Heights"

Poking fun at the supposedly sacred can sometimes be a source of perverse glee, particularly when targeted against works of art and literature that many might consider off limits and untouchable. Undertakings like that, however, were made for writer-director Emerald Fennell. As a filmmaker with a reputation for unapologetically telling stories with outrageous narratives, she was the perfect choice for the assignment of skewering Emily Bronté’s classic 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. Long considered one of the best works of English literature, this Gothic romance with a tawdry underbelly has long passed itself off as a respectable piece of writing thanks in large part to the carefully managed protection afforded by literary purists. However, in this latest cinematic adaptation of this time-honored tale, the filmmaker holds nothing back in bringing its kinkier aspects to light, all presented with a deliciously wicked sinister grin. While the film admittedly takes considerable license with the original narrative, its core characters and much of its basic storyline have been spared, albeit with a twisted approach in doing so. The film basically follows the exploits of ambitious social climber Cathy Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) who comes from a once-moneyed family now experiencing diminishing financial means. Cathy’s smitten with an orphan boy whom her father (Martin Clunes) rescues from the streets whom she has named Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) in honor of her deceased brother. Cathy and Heathcliff grow up together, almost like siblings, but there’s an undeniable attraction between them. But, for Cathy, giving in to her romantic impulses would be imprudent in light of her ambitions to become socially respectable. And, as a consequence, she abandons her love for Heathcliff in favor of Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif), the landed owner of a neighboring manor, a move that breaks Heathcliff’s heart, who subsequently flees in despair. But, when Heathcliff returns several years later as a wealthy man, Cathy’s hormones stir to life once again, especially since her love for him now has money to back up the considerable pheromones he exudes. Thus begins a tale of erotic intrigue involving this romantic triangle, a deliciously campy romp brought to life and further seasoned by the maneuverings of Cathy’s longtime (and supposedly trusted) servant, Nelly (Hong Chau), who has a vested interest in how affairs ultimately unfold. The filmmaker thus spins a pulpy web on par with the best plots found in classic 1980s prime time soaps, suitably peppered with witty one-liners and hilarious sight gags. These antics are sufficiently facilitated by the superb performances of Robbie, Elordi and Alison Oliver as Edgar’s naïve sister Isabella (who’s not nearly as innocent as she seems, especially when she takes a shine to Heathcliff upon his triumphant return, adding more spice to the stew). While some viewers may not take to the deviations from the novel’s original story, and despite some tonal inconsistencies on the part of the filmmaker. “Wuthering Heights” is nevertheless a delightfully juicy guilty pleasure. It’s not meant to be taken as seriously as previous cinematic versions of this work, but there’s nothing wrong with that, as it’s intentionally following a different approach from those earlier offerings. And, in this case, Fennell’s version isn’t afraid to brazenly expose the hitherto-cloaked dirty little secrets of those iterations. I can’t imagine any other filmmaker capable of taking on the task of telling this story in this particular way. The outrageousness that the director unabashedly brought to the screen in previous works like “Promising Young Woman” (2020) and “Saltburn” (2023) is again present here (though handled far more skillfully this time), deftly combined with top-shelf production values in areas like cinematography, costuming, art direction and set design, not to mention the aforementioned spot-on performances. This release definitely won’t appeal to everyone, especially among those who prefer their adaptations of classic literature unadulterated. But viewers who have a pronounced mischievous streak in their movie preferences will no doubt revel in this release’s refreshingly bawdy frankness and clever tongue-in-cheek humor. This is truly a cup of tea with a hefty shot of a potent potable added to it, so, if that’s your taste, by all means drink up and enjoy.